Letter: No need for breast-beating

I MUST take issue with the comment by Adrian Quine, a journalist specialising in the United Nations, in your 'Opinions' column (1 August). His contribution to the 'Would Fergie have made a good UN ambassador?' debate was that since Fergie had exposed her 'tits', her credentials for the job were questionable.

It might come as a surprise to Mr Quine, but women do generally expose their 'tits' several times a day within the home (getting dressed, undressed, bathed, etc) and that many women do so in the garden and at the beach (for a spot of sunbathing). I have certainly never considered the fact that I sunbathed topless in Provence while on holiday as preventing me from having a responsible job, strong political views, an interest in current events, a desire to help others and so on.

I have no strong opinion either way as to whether Fergie would have made a good ambassador, but I do expect the debate to be based on more serious issues. Anyway, Fergie was hardly indulging in topless swimming in public - she was in the supposed privacy of a private home.

Finally, if one wished to be petty one could say that it might be difficult to take seriously the thoughts and opinions of someone who described women's breasts as 'tits'.

Maggie Charlton

Winchester, Hants